Shelter in the Storm

Have you ever played “Follow the Leader”? One person leads, then the rest follow, copying every move. But if a leader is someone in charge—someone we look to for directions—then what makes a good leader? Is it honesty? Integrity? Public speaking abilities? Humor? Organizational skills? Timothy was a young pastor who was like a son to the apostle Paul. As Timothy was leading the Christians in Ephesus, there had been some troubles in the church with false teachings. To address this, Paul wrote a letter to encourage Timothy and continue to teach him about leading the church. Good news: the instructions in the letter of 1 Timothy are valuable for everyone who is a part of the church, even if you aren’t thinking of becoming a pastor. Throughout the book, Paul includes lots of practical advice for how to lead the people in the church, as well as plenty of beautiful reminders of the truths of the gospel. Paul also lists the qualifications Timothy should look for when selecting church leaders (1 Timothy 3:1-13). Being a good leader is being someone worth following and—like in “Follow the Leader”—worth imitating. Jesus is the Lord of all, so He is the ultimate leader of the world (Matthew 28:18). As Christians, we are followers of Jesus. And, in Him, we are called to declare the gospel through our words and actions—no matter our age—living our lives in such a way that others want to follow the Savior (1 Timothy 4:12). • Abby Ciona • Read 1 Timothy 3:1-13. What are some qualities of a godly church leader? • Read 1 Timothy 1:15-16. How might the important gospel truths mentioned in this passage affect the way we choose our church leaders? Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Psalm 27:1-3; Isaiah 25:4-5; Matthew 8:23-27